


Nerves

by orphan_account



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/F, Fluff, I wrote this in like an hour so it might not be amazing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22944781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Serin wishes to speak with Aveline, but nerves get the best of her the first time. The second time, she has to get it right.
Relationships: Female Hawke/Aveline Vallen
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Nerves

Serin stepped into Aveline’s office, a smile visible on her features. She didn’t don her armour, for once, and had instead chosen a simple attire, one that would not be out of place amongst the many elites of hightown. Of course, few noblemen in the upper echelon of Kirkwall stood at nearly seven feet in height, nor had the strength to swing a greatsword around with one hand. The guardswoman glanced up as she heard someone entering her office, the ginger warrior’s hardened visage visibly softening at the sight of her closest friend.  
“Hawke. Good to see you.” Aveline stepped back from her desk. Serin noticed the reports upon it. Crime in Kirkwall was so commonplace that Serin marvelled Aveline’s ability to do the paperwork for it all.  
“Likewise, Aveline. Although I did tell you to call me Serin. Twice.” The reaver smiled warmly as she replied, not a single hint of annoyance audible in her tone.  
“Sorry, Serin.” Aveline shook her head for a moment, “I’m just not used to it after years of calling you Hawke.”  
“I understand.”  
“So, why are you here, then?”

Serin paced the room for a moment, noticing the variety of different noble houses’ seals visible on the walls, each one belonging to the family of a different guard-captain. Apparently, most captains of Kirkwall’s guard were chosen from the families of hightown nobles, for one reason or another. Serin hoped that Aveline getting the job was a sign that she would be the benchmark for those to come, and not simply an anomaly born of circumstance.  
“I wanted to see my friend, that’s all.” Serin pushed her hands into her pockets, turning back to stare at the ginger-haired warrior after a moment of quiet.  
“Serin, I doubt you ever do anything without a decent reason.” Aveline smiled, “Although I do appreciate the gesture.”  
“I mean, I do stupid stuff sometimes. Not now, you’re right about that, but I’m not as perfect as you seem to think I am.”  
“Oh, I know you’re not perfect.” Aveline laughed, “I just also know how you operate.” Serin loved that about Aveline. The woman was intuitive, and intelligent. She had been crushing on the ginger warrior for some time, but had worried about how to get through those feelings. For the longest time, she ignored them, trying to bully them into going away. Aveline was the captain of the guard, and Serin was just some random former smuggler that got rich by pilfering tombs. But the feelings she held refused to leave. Just like the woman she was fixated upon, they their ground, and never backed down. It was painful. 

So Serin decided that she would have to at least do something.

Serin wanted to meet Aveline’s eyes. Wanted to confess her feelings, spill her heart out to Aveline. And she felt like she couldn’t. Not here, not now. She fought the urge to laugh. Serin had faced down darkspawn, dragons, horrific monsters from the deep roads, blood mages, rogue templars, demons, and deadly assassins. And simply speaking to the woman she cared for so greatly made her this anxious?  
“Aveline, when do you finish work today?” Serin asked.  
“In a couple of hours, why?”  
“Would you mind coming over to my place when you’re finished? I want to talk with you about something important.”  
“Of course.” Serin finally turned back. Her stomach started doing somersaults as she saw the gorgeous redhead’s smile again. “I’ll see you then, alright?”  
“Yep.” Serin nodded, thanking the Maker that she was as skilled at concealing her emotions as she was, “I’ll see you then.” 

In Serin’s estate, the woman spent her time getting herself presentable. Out went the simple shirt and trousers, and in its stead, a long and flowing dress, coloured in black and crimson. For the first time in months, if not years, Serin even applied makeup. It wasn’t a date, she was under no illusions of that, but Serin felt that if she was going to talk about this with Aveline… she didn’t want to be the mercenary warrior. Not for one night. She wished she could hide the scars that covered her arms, legs, and neck, visible at even a slight glance, but there was no way of hiding them. 

Hours felt like days, to Serin. She spent her time sat in her study, reading through a book’s page a dozen times over and never truly absorbing a single word written upon it. Maker, could she even remember which book she picked out of her esoteric collection? No, she realised, she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to glance at the cover of the book, either, to sate her newfound curiosity as to what had filled the last hour of her time. She felt like if she did that, her ever-decreasing mental-state would win. And Serin didn’t like losing.

A knock at the front door of her estate dragged her out of the strange line of thinking she had fallen into like quicksand. Rising to her feet, the reaver fought the instinct of breaking out into a run. The dress she was in was expensive, and she didn’t intend to ruin it in her haste. Flinging open the door of her home, she saw Aveline stood in the doorway. The nerves returned, and intensified. Shit.  
“Hi!” Serin grinned, stepping aside to allow Aveline into her home.  
“Hello again, Serin.” Aveline smiled, entering the reaver’s home. One of her fiery eyebrows had drifted upwards, “Are you expecting to be seeing someone tonight?”  
“I’m seeing someone right now, am I not?” Serin grinned. Aveline let out a chuckle, shaking her head at her fellow Ferelden.  
“Very true, very true.” 

Serin followed Aveline, returning to her study. She read the title of the book she was reading. A comprehensive list on the laws of Kirkwall. Fitting.  
“So, why do you need me? Has something happened? Is someone hurt?” Aveline questioned Serin, her tone and expression hardening as she grew focused on discerning whatever thing Serin needed her for.  
“I… I needed to talk with you. I should have done it in your office, honestly, but I couldn’t.” Serin confessed, running her hands through her black and blonde locks, the incredibly long hair let down for seemingly the first time in ages.  
“What about?” Concern grew on Aveline’s features. Maker, Serin thought, she didn’t want to worry her.  
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing dangerous or worrying.” Serin tried to give Aveline a winning smile, but the worry didn’t dissipate from Aveline’s features. The ginger warrior was incredibly focused, incredibly caring, and incredibly protective of her friends. It was part of the reason that Serin had grown so attracted to her. Unfortunately, it also made it far more of a challenge for Serin to confess how she feels.

“Fuck it.” Serin murmured to herself, shaking her head, “Aveline, I care about you a lot. More than I maybe should. I was scared, I am scared, but I need to tell you this. If you don’t want to do anything, just say, and I won’t say another word about it, but… you’re such a beautiful, intelligent, caring woman, and I want to be with you. I want to hold you close, and kiss you, and be yours.” Serin paused, realising that she had begun rambling incredibly quickly. Already, she feared she had pushed Aveline too far, that she had said too much, that she had put pressure on her that was in no-way intended. Serin ran a hand through her hair once more, worry increasing exponentially with every passing second. “I’m sor-” 

Serin was silenced by Aveline, who had closed the gap between them, pressing their lips together in an embrace that Serin had dreamed about, but never thought she would experience. Squeezing her eyes shut, Serin draped her arms around Aveline’s broad shoulders, losing herself in the kiss. Every second that passed seemed to feel like a year, but unlike the dread and worry-filled anxiety that had taken up the previous hours, this felt like every moment, every nanosecond was to be savoured, remembered. Aveline’s grip was far tighter with Serin than the one the reaver had with her, holding the woman tight, and refusing to let go. Serin remembered the story that Aveline had told her, about her learning to take control of life by only turning the page of the story when she desired. 

Serin was more than happy to allow Aveline to control this story, too.

Even still, as the redhead pulled away from the embrace, Serin couldn’t stop herself from letting out a quiet whine. She wanted more. She felt like she needed more. Opening her eyes, the sight that greeted the reaver was that of the focus of her affections giving her the warmest, most delightful smile that Serin had ever seen.  
“Why didn’t you just say you felt like that earlier? We’d have saved a lot of hassle.” Aveline gently chastised, resting her forehead against Serin’s.  
“I did say that I was scared, right?”  
“Serin, you literally drank the blood of a high dragon last year.”  
“Look, I have never claimed to be good at making decisions like this.”  
“Well, this one was pretty good.”  
“That’s an understatement.” Serin laughed, gently pressing her lips against her girlfriend(?)’s cheek for a moment, adoring every second of their embrace. It may not be quite as magical as kissing Aveline, but it was damned close.


End file.
